Megastar Mammootty's latest cinematic offering, the crime thriller Kalamkaval, has stormed the box office with a powerful opening day performance. The film, which hit theatres on December 5, 2025, has collected an estimated Rs 4.75 crore across India on its first day, setting a strong pace for its theatrical run.
Strong Opening Day Occupancy and Regional Performance
According to data from industry tracker Sacnilk, Kalamkaval was screened in over 900 shows nationwide, recording an overall occupancy of 49.29%. The audience turnout showed a healthy upward trend as the day progressed. The film opened with a 40.16% occupancy for morning shows, saw a slight dip to 34.56% in the afternoon, then climbed significantly to 54.54% for evening shows, and peaked at an impressive 67.89% during night screenings.
The regional breakdown reveals interesting patterns. While Bengaluru hosted the maximum number of shows at 172, it recorded a modest 34% occupancy. The standout performance came from Kochi, which, with 164 shows, delivered a stellar 75.75% occupancy. Thiruvananthapuram also showed solid support with 159 shows and a 45.5% turnout.
How Kalamkaval Stacks Up Against Mammootty's Recent Films
This opening marks a significant recovery for Mammootty at the box office compared to his recent ventures. The film's Rs 4.75 crore debut comfortably surpasses the first-day collections of his 2025 summer release Bazooka (Rs 3.2 crore). It also far outperforms Dominic and the Ladies' Purse, which managed only Rs 1.75 crore on day one. Even the critically lauded horror film Bramayugam (2024) opened at a lower Rs 3.65 crore.
However, Kalamkaval still trails behind some of the actor's biggest openers in recent years. Films like Turbo (Rs 6.25 crore), Bheeshma Parvam (Rs 5.9 crore), and Agent (Rs 5.95 crore) had collected more on their opening day.
Position in the 2025 Malayalam Cinema Landscape
In the broader context of Mollywood releases this year, Kalamkaval has secured a respectable position. Its opening is, expectedly, far behind the mammoth numbers of Mohanlal's L2: Empuraan (Rs 21 crore) and Thudarum (Rs 6.32 crore). Yet, it has achieved a crucial victory by outperforming the year's current highest grosser, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, which opened at approximately Rs 2.7 crore.
The film has also edged past other notable 2025 releases like Pranav Mohanlal's Dies Irae (Rs 4.7 crore) and Mohanlal's Hridayapoorvam (Rs 3.25 crore). This strong start was foreshadowed by the film's advance booking numbers, which were the third-highest in Mollywood for 2025, only behind Empuraan and Thudarum.
With no major competing releases this weekend and early audience word-of-mouth appearing positive, Kalamkaval is well-positioned to maintain its momentum. The key question now is whether it can leverage this strong start to break into the list of the year's top three highest-grossing Malayalam films.
